Perceptions on the processes of sustainable rating systems and their combined application with Lean construction

Abstract

Sustainable building rating systems are developed to reduce the environmental impact of construction and contribute to sustainable development. However, these prioritize the criteria associated with the operation phase, giving less relevance to the sustainability of the construction stage; even certified buildings are built using conventional methods under inefficient and unsustainable processes. Lean construction (LC) arises to improve the neglected aspects of efficiency, contributing to sustainability in the construction phase. LC and sustainable building rating systems are initiatives that are independently developed without an understanding of how their joint implementation can enhance the achievement of their objectives; experts agree that limited understanding of concepts and concern about cost foil their integration. This research aimed to review the contribution of LC to the scope of the qualification criteria of the rating systems and the perceptions of project developers regarding the certification processes and their synergistic application with LC by conducting qualitative descriptive research via literary review, interviews, and surveys to 206 participants from 38 countries. As a result, there is a general lack of conceptual knowledge and a lack of academic research that shows the benefits of LC for reducing environmental impacts during the construction phase and the scope of qualification criteria. Even in an environment of misinformation, developers perceive an opportunity and a positive feeling about it in their joint application (sentiment analysis in Orange3).